Bard (BRD) Actions, Traits and PvP Actions

Upon hearing the word bard, most folk are like to be put in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords.

Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to bowmen who took to singing in the heat of battle, that they might fortify their spirits with anthems beseeching the gods for victory.

In time, their impassioned song came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death. While the bardic tradition had gone into decline in recent decades, the time is nigh when song once more shapes the outcome of conflict.

Patch 1.21 saw the introduction of jobs to FFXIV, which allows you to become one of the traditional jobs from the FF series after completing a quest. An Archer can become a Bard by equipping the Soul of the Bard item after completing the first quest. The details for this quest are below.

Quest	NPC	Location	Conditions
A Song of Bards and Bowmen	Luciane	Gridania, Archers’ Guild	ARC 30

For each quest you complete, you will be rewarded with a new ability, while the latter quests will also reward you with artifact (AF) armour that is shown in the screenshot above.

Introduction to Bard

Bard is a support job that branches off the damage dealing class Archer. The idea behind the job is that it sacrifices some damage in order to buff party members via songs.

Bard Attributes

As a Bard your main stat is Dexterity (DEX) for your ranged damage. You should be focusing on equipment with this stat. For secondary stats you should be focusing on the likes of Direct Hit Rate, Determination, Critical Hit Rate and Skill Speed in addition to simply boosting DEX. However you’ll find Skill Speed is generally not worth it.

Skill Speed and Critical Hit Rate are self-explanatory in what they do. For the other two, Determination is used to boost the damage dealt by all attacks and the amount of HP recovered when healed while Direct Hit Rate is Stormblood’s replacement for Accuracy. Instead of a simple hit or miss effect that Accuracy could give, having a low Direct Hit Rate for a fight will reduce damage dealt so it is important to improve this stat.

Bard Actions

Actions are skills that the Bard can equip to their bar and select to use at any time as long as their timer is available. Actions used in a combo will generate additional damage and effects. All Bard actions are exclusive to that job.

AST BRD BLM DNC DRK DRG GNB MCH
MNK NIN PLD PCT RPR RDM SGE SAM SCH SMN VPR WAR WHM

Name	Level	Cast	Recast	MP	TP	Range	Radius
Mage’s Ballad	30	0	120	0	0	0y	0y
Grants Mage’s Ballad to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing damage dealt by 1%. Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 80% chance to grant Repertoire This effect can trigger repeatedly while singing the Mage’s Ballad. Repertoire Effect: Reduces the recast time of Heartbreak Shot and Rain of Death by 7.5s Additional Effect: Grants Mage’s Coda Can only be executed while in combat.
the Warden’s Paean	35	0	45	0	0	30y	0y
Removes one select detrimental effect from self or target party member. If the target is not enfeebled, a barrier is created nullifying the target’s next detrimental effect suffered. Duration: 30s
Army’s Paeon	40	0	120	0	0	0y	0y
Grants Army’s Paeon to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing direct hit rate by 3%. Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 80% chance to grant Repertoire This effect can trigger repeatedly while singing the Army’s Paeon. Repertoire Effect: Reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 4% Can be stacked up to 4 times. Additional Effect: Grants Army’s Coda Can only be executed while in combat.
Rain of Death	45	0	15	0	0	0y	8y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to target and all enemies nearby it. Maximum Charges: 3 Shares a recast timer with Heartbreak Shot .
Battle Voice	50	0	120	0	0	0y	30y
Increases direct hit rate of self and all nearby party members by 20%. Duration: 20s
the Wanderer’s Minuet	52	0	120	0	0	0y	0y
Grants the Wanderer’s Minuet to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing critical hit rate by 2%. Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 80% chance to grant Repertoire This effect can trigger repeatedly while singing the Wanderer’s Minuet. Repertoire Effect: Allows execution of Pitch Perfect Can be stacked up to 3 times. Additional Effect: Grants Wanderer’s Coda Can only be executed while in combat.
Pitch Perfect	52	0	1	0	0	0y	5y
Delivers an attack to the target and all enemies nearby it. Potency varies with number of Repertoire stacks, dealing full damage for the first enemy, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. 1 Repertoire Stack: 100 2 Repertoire Stacks: 220 3 Repertoire Stacks: 360 Can only be executed when the Wanderer’s Minuet is active and you have at least one stack of Repertoire.
Empyreal Arrow	54	0	15	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 260 .
Iron Jaws	56	0	2.5	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: If the target is suffering from a Caustic Bite or Stormbite effect inflicted by you, the effect timer is reset Additional Effect: 35% chance of granting Hawk’s Eye Duration: 30s
Sidewinder	60	0	60	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 400 .
Troubadour	62	0	120	0	0	0y	30y
Reduces damage taken by self and nearby party members by 15 %. Duration: 15s Effect cannot be stacked with machinist’s Tactician or dancer’s Shield Samba.
Caustic Bite	64	0	2.5	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. Additional Effect: Poison Potency: 20 Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 35% chance of granting Hawk’s Eye Duration: 30s
Stormbite	64	0	2.5	0	0	0y	0y
Deals wind damage with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Wind damage over time Potency: 25 Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 35% chance of granting Hawk’s Eye Duration: 30s
Nature’s Minne	66	0	120	0	0	0y	30y
Increases HP recovery via healing actions by 15% for self and nearby party members. Duration: 15s
Refulgent Arrow	70	0	2.5	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 280 . Can only be executed when under the effect of Hawk’s Eye.
Shadowbite	72	0	2.5	0	0	0y	5y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 170 to target and all enemies nearby it. Barrage Potency: 270 Can only be executed when under the effect of Hawk’s Eye.
Burst Shot	76	0	2.5	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 220 . Additional Effect: 35% chance of granting Hawk’s Eye Duration: 30s
Apex Arrow	80	0	2.5	0	0	25y	25y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 120 to all enemies in a straight line before you. Soul Voice Gauge Cost: 20 Potency increases up to 600 as Soul Voice Gauge exceeds minimum cost. Additional Effect: Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon execution while Soul Voice Gauge is 80 or higher Duration: 10s Consumes Soul Voice Gauge upon execution.
Ladonsbite	82	0	2.5	0	0	12y	12y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 130 to all enemies in a cone before you. Additional Effect: 35% chance of granting Hawk’s Eye Duration: 30s
Radiant Finale	90	0	110	0	0	0y	30y
Increases damage dealt by self and nearby party members. Duration: 20s Effectiveness is determined by the number of different Coda active in the Song Gauge. 1 Coda: 2% 2 Coda: 4% 3 Coda: 6% Additional Effect: Grants Radiant Encore Ready Duration: 30s Can only be executed when at least 1 coda is active.
Heartbreak Shot	92	0	15	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 180. Maximum Charges: 3 Shares a recast timer with Rain of Death.
Resonant Arrow	96	0	2.5	0	0	0y	5y
Delivers an attack to target and all enemies nearby it with a potency of 600 for the first enemy, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. Can only be executed while under the effect of Resonant Arrow Ready.
Radiant Encore	100	0	2.5	0	0	0y	5y
Delivers an attack to target and all enemies nearby it. Potency is determined by the number of different Coda consumed in the Radiant Finale executed prior, dealing full damage for the first enemy, and 50% less for all remaining enemies. 1 Coda: 500 2 Coda: 600 3 Coda: 900 Can only be executed while under the effect of Radiant Encore Ready.

As well as these the Bard can also equip Archer actions.

Bard Traits

Traits are not actions and can not be equipped to your bar. They are earned as you level up and are always active. As a result they require 0 cast time and have a 0 MP and TP cost. They are also all exclusive to the Bard job.

	Name	Level
	Bite Mastery	64
	Upgrades Venomous Bite and Windbite to Caustic Bite and Stormbite respectively.
	Bite Mastery	64
	Venomous Bite and Windbite are upgraded to Caustic Bite and Stormbite respectively.
	Enhanced Empyreal Arrow	68
	Guarantees the trigger of the additional effects for current Mage’s Ballad, Army’s Paeon, and the Wanderer’s Minuet when Empyreal Arrow hits a target.
	Wide Volley Mastery	72
	Upgrades Wide Volley to Shadowbite.
	Bite Mastery II	76
	Adds to Stormbite, Caustic Bite, and Iron Jaws a 35% chance to grant Hawk’s Eye. Duration: 30s
	Heavy Shot Mastery	76
	Upgrades Heavy Shot to Burst Shot.
	Enhanced Army’s Paeon	78
	While under the effect of Army’s Paeon with at least one stack of Repertoire, singing Mage’s Ballad or the Wanderer’s Minuet will grant Army’s Muse, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay. Duration: 10s Allowing the effect of Army’s Paeon and accumulated stacks of Repertoire to expire without singing Mage’s Ballad or the Wanderer’s Minuet will grant Army’s Ethos. Duration: 30s While under the effect of Army’s Ethos, singing Mage’s Ballad or the Wanderer’s Minuet will grant Army’s Muse. Both Army’s Ethos and Army’s Muse require stacks of Repertoire, the number of which will determine the potency of the latter. 1 Repertoire: 1% 2 Repertoire: 2% 3 Repertoire: 4% 4 Repertoire: 12%
	Soul Voice	80
	Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 5 each time Repertoire is granted.
	Quick Nock Mastery	82
	Upgrades Quick Nock to Ladonsbite.
	Enhanced Bloodletter	84
	Allows a third charge of Bloodletter and Rain of Death.
	Enhanced Apex Arrow	86
	Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon executing Apex Arrow after the Soul Voice Gauge has reached 80 or higher. Duration: 10s Apex Arrow becomes Blast Arrow while under this effect.
	Enhanced Troubadour	88
	Reduces Troubadour recast time to 90 seconds.
	Minstrel’s Coda	90
	Grants Mage’s Coda, Army’s Coda, or Wanderer’s Coda upon singing Mage’s Ballad, Army’s Paeon, or the Wanderer’s Minuet respectively.
	Bloodletter Mastery	92
	Upgrades Bloodletter to Heartbreak Shot.
	Ranged Mastery	94
	Increases the potency of Empyreal Arrow to 260, Sidewinder to 400, Refulgent Arrow to 280, Burst Shot to 220, and Apex Arrow to 120 up to 600.
	Enhanced Barrage	96
	Grants Resonant Arrow Ready upon executing Barrage. Duration: 30s
	Enhanced Troubadour II	98
	Improves Troubadour’s damage reduction effect to 15%.
	Enhanced Radiant Finale	100
	Grants Radiant Encore Ready upon executing Radiant Finale. Duration: 30s

Bard PvP Actions

From the Stormblood expansion PvP was revamped significantly and you can no longer use PvE actions during PvP battles. That means all of the actions above you can no longer use in PvP. Action Points (AP) were also removed.

While some of the dedicated PvP actions do have the same name, they will have different potencies or effects. Below are the PvP actions that are unique to the Bard. There exists even more PvP actions and even traits but these are not unique to the Bard. You can find these further down the page.

Name	Cast	Recast	MP	TP	Range	Radius
Apex Arrow	0	20	0	0	25y	25y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 8,000 to all enemies in a straight line before you. Additional Effect: Grants Blast Arrow Ready Duration: 20s Additional Effect: Grants Frontliner’s March Frontliner’s March Effect: Reduces your weaponskill cast time and recast time by 10%, and increases damage dealt by self and all party members within a radius of 30 yalms by 5% Duration: 30s This weaponskill does not share a recast timer with any other actions. ※Action changes to Blast Arrow while under the effect of Blast Arrow Ready.
Army’s Paeon	0	45	0	0	25y	0y
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 600. Additional Effect: Grants Army’s Paeon, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time, as well as spell cast time and recast time of all party members within a radius of 30 yalms by 5% Duration: 30s Repertoire Effect: Reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time by 5% Can be stacked up to 4 times.
Barrage	0	15	0	0	0y	0y
Doubles the number of strikes for a single-target weaponskill. Additional effects added only once. Duration: 5s Can only be executed while under the effect of Army’s Paeon. ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Blast Arrow	0	2.5	0	0	25y	25y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 10,000 to all enemies in a straight line before you. Additional Effect: Grants Frontliner’s Forte Frontliner’s Forte Effect: Reduces your weaponskill cast time and recast time by 10%, and increases damage dealt by self and all party members within a radius of 30 yalms by 5% Duration: 10s ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Bloodletter	0	15	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 750. Cannot use while under the effect of F201FAF201FBArmy’s Paeon0101 or the F201FAF201FBWanderer’s Minuet0101. ※Action changes to F201F4F201F5Pitch Perfect0101 while under the effect of F201FAF201FBWanderer’s Minuet0101. ※Action changes to F201F4F201F5Barrage0101 while under the effect of the F201FAF201FBArmy’s Paeon0101.
Blunt Arrow	0	40	0	0	0y	0y
Silences target. F201F8F201F9Duration:0101 2s
Burst Shot	0	2.4	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 1,200. Additional Effect: Grants Repertoire if under the effect of the Wanderer’s Minuet or Army’s Paeon Additional Effect: Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 10 if under the effect of the Wanderer’s Minuet or Army’s Paeon
Caustic Bite	0	2.4	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 400. Additional Effect: Poison Potency: 200 Duration: 18s ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Empyreal Arrow	0	15	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 3,000. Consumes all charges upon execution, each charge adding an additional strike to the attack. Maximum Charges: 3
Final Fantasia	0	10	0	0	0y	0y
Reduces your weaponskill cast time and recast time by 10% while also increasing movement speed by 25%. Additional Effect: Increases damage dealt by self and all party members within a radius of 30 yalms by 10% while also gradually filling the limit gauge Duration: 30s Can only be executed when the limit gauge is full. Gauge Charge Time: 120s Can only be executed while in combat.
Heavy Shot	0	2.3	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 500. F201F8F201F9Minuet/Paeon Additional Effect:0101 Grants F201FAF201FBRepertoire0101 if used on target suffering from a F201FAF201FBCaustic Bite0101 effect inflicted by you ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Nature’s Minne	0	30	0	0	30y	0y
Reduces damage taken by self or target party member by 10%, while increasing HP recovered by healing actions by 10%. Duration: 15s
Pitch Perfect	0	2.5	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4,000. Potency increases up to 8,000 the farther away you are from the target, reaching its maximum value when the target is 15 yalms away. Additional Effect: Reduces the recast time of Empyreal Arrow by 5s Can only be executed while under the effect of Repertoire. ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Powerful Shot	1.5	2.5	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4,000. Potency increases up to 6,000 the further you are from the target, reaching its maximum value when the target is 15 yalms away. Additional Effect: Reduces the recast time of Empyreal Arrow by 5s Requires casting time to execute. However, it is possible to walk while casting.
Quick Nock	0	2.4	0	0	12y	12y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 800 to all enemies in a cone before you. Additional Effect: Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 10 for each enemy hit while under the effect of the Wanderer’s Minuet or Army’s Paeon
Repelling Shot	0	15	0	0	10y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 4,000. Additional Effect: 10-yalm backstep Additional Effect: Bind Duration: 3s Cannot be executed while bound.
Shadowbite	0	30	0	0	25y	5y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 600 to target and all enemies nearby it. Potency increases up to 1,800 as target’s HP nears maximum.
Sidewinder	0	30	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 800. Potency increases up to 2,400 as the target’s HP decreases.
Silent Nocturne	0	30	0	0	15y	0y
Silences target. Duration: 2s Additional Effect: Grants Repertoire Duration: 10s ※Powerful Shot changes to Pitch Perfect while under the effect of Repertoire.
Stormbite	0	2.4	0	0	25y	0y
Delivers an attack to target. Combo Action: Caustic Bite Combo Potency: 600 Additional Effect: Damage over time Potency: 200 Duration: 18s ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Straight Shot	0	2.3	0	0	0y	0y
Delivers an attack to target. F201F8F201F9Combo Action:0101 F201F4F201F5Heavy Shot0101 F201F8F201F9Combo Potency:0101 1,000 F201F8F201F9Minuet/Paeon Additional Effect:0101 Grants F201FAF201FBRepertoire0101 if used on target suffering from a F201FAF201FBStormbite0101 effect inflicted by you ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
The Wanderer’s Minuet	0	45	0	0	25y	0y
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 600. Additional Effect: Grants the Wanderer’s Minuet, increasing damage dealt by all party members within a radius of 30 yalms by 5% Duration: 30s Repertoire Effect: Allows execution of Pitch Perfect while under the effect of the Wanderer’s Minuet Can be stacked up to 3 times.
the Warden’s Paean	0	25	0	0	30y	0y
Removes one status affliction from self or target party member that can be removed by Purify. If a status affliction cannot be removed, creates a barrier that will nullify the next status affliction that can be removed by Purify. Duration: 8s Grants Warden’s Grace upon successfully removing or nullifying a status affliction. Warden’s Grace Effect: Reduces damage taken by 25% while increasing HP recovered by healing actions by 25% Duration: 5s Additional Effect: Grants Repertoire Duration: 10s ※Powerful Shot changes to Pitch Perfect while under the effect of Repertoire.
Troubadour	0	30	0	0	0y	20y
Adds an additional effect to the song currently being sung. Army’s Paeon Effect: Reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time as well as spell cast time and recast time by 10% The Wanderer’s Minuet Effect: Increases damage dealt by 10% Duration: 10s Can only be executed while singing Army’s Paeon or the Wanderer’s Minuet.

Bard Shared PvP Actions

The following is a list of PvP actions which are shared across all classes and jobs. These can only be used in PvP areas and you are limited to selecting two of them.

Name	Cast	Recast	MP	TP	Range	Radius
Aetheric Siphon	0	6	0	0	25y	0y
Activates the instrument.
Anti-gravity Gimbal	0	5	0	0	0y	0y
Simulates the spell Levitate using Nero tol Scaeva’s odd contraption.
Bolt	0	45	0	0	0y	0y
Movement speed is increased. Duration: 10s
Chimatsuri	4.5	45	0	0	8y	0y

Concentrate	0	45	0	0	0y	0y
Creates a barrier preventing Stun, Sleep, Bind, Heavy, Slow, Silence, and knockback effects. Duration: 10s
Deflect	0	2	0	0	0y	4y
Scatters potentially harmful aether.
Doom Of The Living	4.5	45	0	0	8y	0y

Dragonsong Dive	4.5	45	0	0	8y	0y

Enliven	0	90	0	0	0y	0y
Restores 50% of maximum TP.
Final Heaven	4.5	45	0	0	8y	0y
Delivers an attack with a potency of 9,000.
Muse	0	90	0	0	0y	0y
Restores 25% of maximum MP.
Purify	0	45	0	0	0y	0y
Removes Stun, Sleep, Bind, Heavy, Slow, and Silence from target. Can be used regardless of own status affliction.
Recuperate	0	45	0	0	0y	0y
Restores 25% of maximum HP.
Safeguard	0	90	0	0	0y	0y
Reduces damage taken by 25%. Duration: 10s
Smoke Screen	0	2.5	0	0	0y	20y
Throw an incendiary device that creates a blanket of smoke temporarily granting you the Stealth status.
Ungarmax	3	30	0	0	14y	20y

Vril	0	3	0	0	0y	0y
Use the aetheric residue lingering on your body to temporarily disguise yourself as one of Lakshmi’s loyal dreamers.

Bard Shared PvP Traits

The following is a list of PvP traits which are shared across all classes and jobs. These can only be used in PvP areas and you are limited to selecting three of them.

	Name	Description
	Decreased Damage Taken	Decreases damage taken by 3%.
	Decreased Recast Time	Decreases recast time of additional actions by 20%.
	Increased Action Speed	Decreases weaponskill and spell cast and recast times by 3%.
	Increased Damage Dealt	Increases damage dealt by 3%.
	Increased Healing Potency	Increases spell-based HP restoration by 5%.
	Increased HP	Increases maximum HP by 5%.
	Increased MP Regeneration	Increases MP regeneration rate by 25%.
	Increased Resistance Duration	Increases duration of resistances by 50%.
	Increased TP Regeneration	Increases TP regeneration rate by 40%.